After a disastrous last-place finish, Juan Soto views record-breaking phenom Carson Benge as the catalyst to transform the high-priced Mets into legitimate World Series contenders for 2027.
The 2026 season didn’t go as advertised when it comes to the New York Mets, as they ended up finishing in last place in the National League East and 14 games out of a postseason spot. Their 74-88 record shines a dark light on a season in which they not only seemed like a postseason lock, but could possibly have been the best team in baseball.
Despite bringing in stars like Freddy Peralta, Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, and several other players poised to play key roles in 2026, everything seemed to go wrong in Queens. With that, it’s now two consecutive seasons in which the Mets have missed the postseason party.
When you have the highest payroll in baseball and an owner always looking to win like Steve Cohen, there’s a lot on the line for the Mets in 2027. Another missed postseason is simply not an option for manager Andy Green and the Mets next season, but star Juan Soto doesn't seem to be worried about it. For Soto, there’s a reason he’s confident New York will be playing in October in a year.
“Carson Benge,” he told reporters when asked what makes him confident the Mets will be able to contend in 2027. For such an expensive roster with stars like Soto himself, Benge being his answer sticks out.
Benge had a historic rookie season for the Mets, slashing .282/.346/.430 with a .776 OPS on the year. He became just the 18th rookie in MLB history to smash at least 20 home runs and swipe 20 bags this season, joining the likes of Mike Trout and Carlos Beltran. The 23-year-old also went out and broke the Mets rookie record with 168 hits in a season, beating out the previous record holder Pete Alonso’s 155.
A former first-round selection in 2024, Benge does more than produce offensively. His arm is one of the very best in baseball out in right field. Only the Boston Red Sox’s Wilyber Abreu has more arm runs saved above average in right field than Benge’s three. His 100th percentile arm value, combined with his offensive production, is why Benge led the Mets in bWAR in his rookie season.
“We have a really young core that can help us. You just got to take them onto the right path, show them where to go and how to go,” Soto added to his aforementioned answer regarding how the Mets can contend next season.
Benge is certainly a star, but New York needs more to seriously contend in 2027. The Mets will have to take advantage of Benge's production while he’s still on a rookie contract to maximize this squad’s potential. Going out and building a good starting rotation and revamping the lineup are going to be the real confidence builders for this offense when it comes to how likely the Mets are to be contenders next season.
For now, however, Benge is certainly a huge piece of the puzzle for the Mets. He’ll be eyeing his first postseason appearance by this time next year. We’ll see how the Mets support him in getting there.
